Covid-19: Schools, parents urged to follow safety rules as students return to in-person learning

The Ministry of Education (MoE) in UAE has urged schools, pupils and parents to adhere to all health and safety measures put in place by the authorities when students return to campuses for physical learning on Monday, January 24.

“With the safe and gradual return to face-to-face learning starting from January 24, 2022, we call upon on all students, educational cadres, employees, parents and visitors to adhere to requirements for entry into educational facilities,” the MoE said on Twitter.

According to the National Crisis and Emergency Management Authority (NCEMA), pupils in public schools across the UAE will return to in-person learning in two phases. The first group of students will return to educational institutions on January 24.

These include kindergarten, cycle 1 (grades 1-5), and grade 12 and 13 students. Those taking international exams will also return to campus.

The rest of the students (grades 6-11) will resume in-person learning from January 31.

Private schools in Abu Dhabi will also begin a return to in-person lessons from January 24, the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) had announced.

In a circular sent out to public schools in the UAE, the Emirates Schools Establishment (ESE), the body governing public schools, outlined the health and safety measures issued by NCEMA and the country’s health authorities for the safe return of students to physical learning. These should be implemented by all schools, according to authorities.

Here are the Covid-19 safety rules:

All pupils returning to school campuses for in-class lessons must provide a negative PCR test result less than 96 hours old, relevant to their specific return week. An additional PCR test will be required every two weeks.
For the first day of in-person learning, all teachers and administrative staff must also have a negative PCR test result that is less than 96 hours old. Teachers and administrative staff must always maintain green status on the Al Hosn app while inside the school premises.
Parents and guardians will also need a 96-hour negative PCR test and an Al Hosn green pass to be permitted entry to school premises.
Students, teachers and administrative staff must sign a travel declaration and show negative PCR test results for Day One and Day Six from returning to the UAE after travelling.
Parents had been told to confirm with their children’s schools when their students were expected to return to face-to-face learning.
Parents wishing their children to continue with remote learning had been given that option.
All existing Covid-19 protocols for physical learning, including wearing face masks, social distancing, regular disinfection and others, will continue to apply, and the Covid situation will be monitored, said authorities.
School sporting events and cultural activities will continue to follow preventative measures; however, all school trips have been suspended until further notice.

The country’s public education facilities had adopted remote learning for the first three weeks of the second term, which began on January 3, as a Covid safety measure.

Abu Dhabi private school pupils have also been learning remotely since the beginning of 2022.